What is the angular distance measured along the horizon from the observer's meridian to the vertical circle through a celestial body?

• A. Altitude
• B. Declination
• C. Azimuth
• D. Polar Distance

Answer: (C)

Azimuth is the horizontal angle that locates a celestial object along the horizon. It measures the distance, around the observer’s horizon, from the meridian (the north–south line) to the vertical circle that passes through the object, effectively giving the direction of the object on the compass around you. In practice, azimuth tells you where to look around the horizon to see the body, usually referenced from north toward east.

Altitude, by contrast, is how high the object is above the horizon, measured along the vertical circle through the body. Declination is a celestial coordinate indicating how far north or south the object is from the celestial equator, not tied to the horizon. Polar distance is the angular distance from the celestial pole to the object, again a different measure.